Browsers Cannot Access Any Website on Vista

[deanj20]

Oh man... what an evening...

I've just spent 4 hours trying to get the browsers on a Vista machine to access the Internet - to no avail. I finally had the client back up her data and left her to do an HP System Recovery. (that's how I roll - - I'm going back tomorrow to check up)

Here's the deal - she had previously had some malware or a virus that had removed her Norton System Security icon and was causing browser redirects. She managed to get rid of it using Spybot S&D and then Malwarebyte's. But days later she was unable to access the web. She has another computer on the network that has no problems.

Here are the things I tried:

Ran rkill, then Malwarebytes' Antimalware in Safe Mode with Networking which found nothing. Then I ran HijackThis and removed a couple of leftover malicious looking entries that had (file missing). Then I ran combofix - it took about 15 minutes, and it removed some things - I looked at the log, and it looked good to me.

I was still unable to access the web in Safe Mode with Networking or in Normal Mode. However, I had a router-assigned IP address, I could ping google.com, and my Malwarebyte's was able to download updates. It was also able to get Windows updates and she could check her email using Outlook. I ran SUPERAntispyware to see if Malwarebytes had missed anything, but it came back clean.

So I installed a new browser (Opera) - same results.

Then I uninstalled everything from Norton/Symantec (which took some work - I finally had to delete some registry entries that would allow me to delete the folder - the uninstaller would die at the last second - because it couldn't access the internet. )

I went to her network adapter properties, and uninstalled/reinstalled all of the connection items. No difference.

I downloaded and ran several fixes for winsock, lps, etc. And I entered the command prompt and did netsh winsock reset and several other commands I don't recollect ATM.

I checked the hosts file and related files. Nothing.

I reinstalled her wireless adapter. I tried a new wireless adapter, and I tried resetting the router. Nothing.

I ran CCleaner, disabled *everything* in startup via msconfig except Microsoft processes.

After four hours, I had to give in and go for the reinstall (what happened to my 45 minute rule!? )

Can anyone on this forum think of something else I could have or should have tried?

 

[Drenlin]

Did you check to see if something like "offline mode" or "work offline" was tuned on?

edit: Props on ununstalling Norton, btw...Symantec's software is a PITA to remove. In my experience, their uninstallers generally do not work, forcing more advanced methods to be used, often messing something else up in the process.

 

[Ryeong]

What wireless adapter do you have? 802.11n, b or a/b?..

If you have something different that your router does not support, then you won't be able to access the internet what so ever..

 

[deanj20]

I don't think that was it - I tried 3 different browsers. During my tedious search for ideas, I came across thread where someone said that a Windows Update caused this, but then I could never find that page again when I decided to try to uninstall the update. That's the only other thing I can think of.

Really, I think the only thing I could have done better was stick to my 45-minute rule - if the problem isn't fixed or in the process of being fixed in 45 minutes, back up the users data and reinstall the OS!

Man, I'm worn out. So frustrating - you know it can see the network - you can ping any website in the world - the Internet is just right there saying "browse me" - but no matter what I do, no browser can connect.

 

[deanj20]

What wireless adapter do you have? 802.11n, b or a/b?..

If you have something different that your router does not support, then you won't be able to access the internet what so ever..

802.11n - but she was able to browse the web just fine with that adapter before she removed the malware. And it can still ping, get updates and e-mail off the web. Definitely a problem with the way Windows is set to allow communication between the browser and the network - but where!??

 

[Ryeong]

802.11n - but she was able to browse the web just fine with that adapter before she removed the malware. Definitely a problem with the way Windows handles communication with the network - but where!??

There is a chance that somone has changed the modem's settings.. Tried to access your modem and recheck the settings?

Edit [VERY Importnat]: have you checked that the wireless in "internet management" is not "diabled" or has been changed since the last time she used it?

 

[deanj20]

No - the other computer has the exact same kind of adapter, and has no problems. And, as previously stated, I set the router back to factory condition. If there was a hardware issue, I wouldn't be able to ping, get updates and all that jazz.

 

[Ryeong]

No - the other computer has the exact same kind of adapter, and has no problems. And, as previously stated, I set the router back to factory condition. If there was a hardware issue, I wouldn't be able to ping, get updates and all that jazz.

have you checked that the wireless in "internet management" is not "diabled" or has been changed since the last time she used it?

 

[deanj20]

have you checked that the wireless in "internet management" is not "diabled" or has been changed since the last time she used it?

Once again - this computer can do anything on the internet except browse the web. The wireless hardware/router/modem are not the problem - it must be a setting (or lack thereof) somewhere in the OS. As far as I can tell, anyway. :good:

 

[Ryeong]

Once again - this computer can do anything on the internet except browse the web. The wireless hardware/router/modem are not the problem - it must be a setting (or lack thereof) somewhere in the OS. As far as I can tell, anyway. :good:

Hmm, that's troublesome. But everything can be solved..

Tried System restore to around the last time she used the comp, preferably a bit before?

 

[deanj20]

That was one thing I didn't try - I started to, but then I was afraid that the virus/malware/whatever might have come back. I don't even know if it had restore points - I didn't look into it. I figured if I was going to do a system restore, I may as well just backup and reinstall. Might have worked though.

 

[Ryeong]

That was one thing I didn't try - I started to, but then I was afraid that the virus/malware/whatever might have come back. I don't even know if it had restore points - I didn't look into it. I figured if I was going to do a system restore, I may as well just backup and reinstall. Might have worked though.

The thing is.. I'm not sure that reinstalling the OS will help if system restore fails. That's why i recommend a system restore before you try what i fear/hate the most of everything, a reinstallation of your OS.

 

[deanj20]

before you try what i fear/hate the most of everything, a reinstallation of your OS.

Why would you fear/hate that? On newer HPs, there is a partition that has the OS and all of the software on it so that when you do a system recovery, your computer is set up just like it was the day you brought it home from the store. I had her back up all of her personal files to my external HDD. Should be a fool-proof fix, I would think.

 

[Ryeong]

Why would you fear/hate that? On newer HPs, there is a partition that has the OS and all of the software on it so that when you do a system recovery, your computer is set up just like it was the day you brought it home from the store. I had her back up all of her personal files to my external HDD. Should be a fool-proof fix, I would think.

Yea, but i just hate the time wasted.. It's so boring to do all that.. Would be nice with a tool that could instantly fix everyhing on computers.

Edit: Well, im off.. been up for almost 40 hours. post how stuff's are proceeding.. Don't worry, this is just another of those typical problems that appears when you least want em'. We shall find a way!

 

[deanj20]

Would be nice with a tool that could instantly fix everyhing on computers.

Ain't that the truth brother. But, really, I guess a fresh install is about as close a tool as there is to that?

I'm interested to hear what johnb35 has to say about it, if anything. You lurking around John? I'm sure he's been doing this repair gig a little longer than I have - I've only been fixing computer problems for fifteen years - and only "professionally" for seven.

 

[johnb35]

Seems like you covered all the basics except for one, system restore, in case an update has caused the issue. You've done winsock and lsp, it's definately not a router/modem issue.

However, do you have access to the combofix log still? I would like to see a copy of it if possible.

 

[deanj20]

Sorry John - it's long gone. I was thinking the same thing - I feel like I must have missed something somewhere. Just aggravating to spend that much time pissing with something and get nowhere. Just the way it goes sometimes I guess?

Thanks for having a look - I guess there's no magic bean for this one.